SVU Circa 1852
by Liv-and-Love
Summary: You've seen them in High School, and you've seen them after the apocolypse, but have you seen them in the 1800's? So this is totally AU. Lots of characters will reapear and our gang will be reunited on the streets of New York. Propper summary inside.  -
1. Chapter 1: Eviction

Title: SVU circa 1852

Summary: It's Ireland and it is 1852 and there is a great famine throughout the country. Elliot and Olivia are siblings plagued by hunger and the need to escape the famine. So, they board a ship with their mother Serena. On their way to America, they meet an upper class runaway named Alexandra and her servant Odafin who also happens to be her best friend and ran away with her. Their lives cross paths and when they land in America, they are greeted by an unwelcoming group of Americans who'd rather have seen the foreigners die on the ship. There they are helped out by a small group of Americans- a young sarcastic teenager named John and an underground medical student/ body snatcher named Malinda. With nowhere to go, their survival depends on these two people they just met and the generosity of a bar owner named Elizabeth who gives them work, but they can't help but be affected by the especially heinous crimes they see around them. And this often puts them at odds with the police and Captain Cragen.

Chapter 1: Eviction

It was dawn in the tiny village that surrounded the barren land that belonged to Lord Jack McCoy. It was the year of the great potato famine and no one had work.

Elliot lay cuddled up in the corner of the small hut that was held together by mere remnants of straw and mud. A thatched roof lay atop their home. They had used what straw they could find to build that roof. Most of their neighbors had been evicted or had taken the voyage across the sea to America. So when their neighbors' huts were tumbled, they took what they could.

Olivia stirred upon hearing a rumbling of footsteps headed their way. She quickly bolted from her position on the dirt floor and began digging frantically underneath the stone pot they used for cooking. They didn't have very many possessions. They didn't even have shoes. Only the clothes on their backs and a few earthen goods belonged to them. She found what she was digging for and quickly hid her findings inside her jacket and in the hidden cuff of her pants.

Elliot grumbled awake when he heard Olivia rustling about their hut. He was about to yell at her for waking him when he heard the horse hoofs clodding closer toward them. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph," he said and crossed himself. The day had finally come. They were about to get evicted and their home tumbled.

"Serena!" A voice boomed from the other side of the slab of wood they used as a door. It was quickly tossed aside and a large officer waddled his way into their hut. His gut hung over his trousers and he hefted a wooden club in his hand. He spit out a wad of spit as he eyed Elliot and Olivia.

Elliot instinctively picked up a brick and was ready to hurl it at the officer, but Olivia stepped in front of him and spoke instead.

"Officer Hollister, if you could just give us another month I'm sure my mother could come up with the money that is owed," Olivia begged the officer.

He grunted and looked over at the woman who lay still passed out on the earthen floor. "Our agreement has expired." He walked over to her and kicked her in the side.

Serena rolled over and groggily sat up.

Olivia ran to her side and bent down. "Mom, officer Hollister is here."

Her speech was still slurred and she wobbled as she stood. "Ah, Joseph," she said. She looked at her kids and then back to the officer. "I thought we had a certain agreement about the timing of our encounters…"

He grabbed her by the arm and began to drag her out of the hut. "Our previous arrangements are no longer valid, and Lord McCoy wants you off his land. If you can't pay, you can't stay."

Elliot and Olivia ran out of the hut after them. There they were confronted by about a dozen guards on horses.

"Tumble it." Joseph Hollister yelled out.

"NO!" Elliot yelled and picked up one of the rocks that were lying around the hut. He began to throw them at the guards. "You can't do this to us!" He picked up a giant brick and hurled it at one guard and it knocked him off his horse. Elliot's eyes got big when he saw he landed a hit.

Officer Hollister turned toward Elliot and lifted his club.

"Run!" Olivia yelled.

Hollister took a swing at him, but Elliot darted out from underneath him and ran up the pathway away from the huts.

Olivia ran to her mother and helped her stand. "Come on mom, we have to get out of here."

"But our home…. That's our home." Serena reluctantly stood.

Olivia threw her mother's arm over her shoulder and supported her weight as they began to follow in the direction that Elliot ran. "It's not our home anymore," Olivia whispered to her mother.

Hollister sneered at the two of them, but his hefty form prohibited him from having the energy to run after the boy or his family. Instead he ordered the guards to gut the hut and leave nothing standing.

*-*/*-*/*-*/*-*/

Alexandra sat at the breakfast table, hands politely placed in her lap as she waited for the servants to bring out her breakfast. Her mother sat next to her and delicately sipped her hot tea. They didn't converse much except for the formal musings expected by their stature. Her mother had an affinity for the finer things in life and couldn't care less for her daughter. She preferred the company of senators and other wives similar to her.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting ladies." A generous smile spread across the face of Lord Jack McCoy. He sat down at the table to enjoy breakfast with his family.

"Oh Jack, you needn't apologize to your own family for your tardiness." Alex's mother said. "I'm sure business kept you away." She looked around the formal dining room for their servants. "Where is Odafin? We're ready for our breakfast."

Fin carried in a large silver platter and sat one in front of Mrs. McCoy. Two more servants filed through and placed a tray in front of Alex as well as Jack.

"Looks scrumptious," said Mrs. McCoy. "Don't you think dear?"

"Delicious indeed," said Jack as he took a bite of his poached eggs and dipped his french toast in a generous amount of maple syrup.

Alex spread the food around on her plate. These days, there were only a few reasons why her father would be late for breakfast. She knew how he dealt with the people that worked for him and those who lived on and worked his land. She knew they were out there starving and dyeing. Yet here they were eating more food for breakfast than most of the peasants would get in two weeks.

"Is something bothering you?" Jack asked his daughter when he noticed her lack of appetite.

"Oh, don't mind her," said Mrs. McCoy. "The foreboding of a silly girl doesn't concern matters of state."

Alex kept her glare focused on her mother, yet her face didn't betray the hurt she felt by her mother's words. They only served to distance her more from her mother. Already her icy demeanor served her well. She hid her feelings for now.

"Nonsense," said Jack. "Come now Alexandra, tell me what is bothering you."

"Very well then," Alex looked up from her plate and over at her father. "I find it preposterous that you subject the peasants that work for you on your land to work in harsh conditions without adequate pay. And what pay you do give them does not suffice to cover a meager day's meal. While we sit here enjoying breakfast cooked by personal chefs, you were out evicting yet another poor family onto the streets of Ireland. They never even had a chance. Furthermore, what gives you the right to preside over such a people? Do they not deserve to be treated fairly?"

Alex's mom dropped her fork and it made a loud clank as it hit their fine china. Her jaw lay open and she stared at her daughter stunned by the words that emanated out of her mouth.

Jack got up from his seat and he knocked the table as he did. Milk splattered out of a porcelain container. He trod heavily toward Alexandra, anger burning in his veins and his fists clenched.

Alex had seen him in this state before and she knew what was about to happen. She quickly stood from her position and backed up slightly, but stood her ground. She clenched her jaw and braced herself, staring defiantly at the face in front of her. A large hand slapped her across the face and she turned with the pressure, grasping her jaw as she did.

Her mother just sat there and watched.

Jack steadied his hand as he looked down at his arduous daughter. "How dare you question the way that I run my land. If it weren't for me, then you wouldn't have any place to sleep and no food on that table."

Alex steadied herself on her feet and looked back at her father. Hate glistened in her eyes. "I'd rather starve than share another meal with you." She abruptly turned and stormed off toward her room.

Jack clenched his jaw as he watched his daughter storm off. He turned toward Odafin, "See after her will you?"

Fin nodded and took off after Alex.

Jack sat back down at the table and he and his wife finished their breakfast in silence.

Alex began packing some of her things into a bag when Fin walked into her bedroom.

"Alex, what do you think you're doing talking to your father like that?" Fin asked. They had grown up together and were about the same age. The only difference between them was that he was the hired help. Over the years they had grown close, although they kept their friendship secret because no one else would approve of such a friendship.

Alex continued packing her things, a hairbrush, a book, a change of clothing. "I've had enough of this Fin." She looked up at him. "He treats others as if he were a god." Her next words were muffled, "And he treats me like I'm nothing." She looked at Fin. "I need you to get something for me."

Fin looked over at his dear friend, the red mark across her face was beginning to take shape and he could see exactly where Jack's fingers had landed. "Anything for you."

"I need you to go into my father's office when he's not there. Open the bottom left hand drawer of his desk and get me that cash."

Fin faltered, "But they'll hang me if I'm caught. They'll know it was me who took it."

Alex sat her bag down on her bed and took Fin's hands in hers. "Then come with me." She searched his eyes. "To America…. We can both get a fresh start."

Fin quickly weighed his options, but the promise of America was too much to pass. "He has a croquet tournament to get ready for in an hour. I'll go into his office and get the money then."

Alex smiled at her friend. They were going to America.

**A/N: Please review if you're interested in the story! ** **There probably won't be any pairings in this story except for amazing friendships forged on their way to New York in 1852. Anyone else have a thing for the 1800's? lol A bunch of other characters will also make appearances in this story as it progresses drop me a review or pm if you would like to see a character reappear ^-^ good or bad guy**


	2. Chapter 2: America

Chapter 2: America

**A/N: Ok, so I changed up the summary a little bit, it's all in the first chapter. And I changed the title a little bit too ^-^ So I guess this story is a bit of a parody edging on the side of burlesque. (not the movie…) Well I'm just having fun writing this so I hope yall enjoy reading! **

John crept quietly around the crowded tavern toward a table in the back. The Social Call was a tavern that he frequented quite often, if not for the brandy, then for the rowdy fights that always seemed to break loose. He glanced around and saw the locals generously enjoying their drinks and laughing easily.

"You gonna order anything or just stand there lookin' pretty?" A young bar maid was leaned casually against the same pillar John was propped up against.

John took a seat at the table. "As long as I'm still breathing and in the upright position, stuck I might add in this gangrenous sphere of a bar, I might as well have some whiskey."

"Coming right up," she said as she began walking back toward the bar. She glanced back and saw John watching her, "You can stop staring at my ass now."

John smirked but continued to watch as she walked away and then called after her, "And keep the whiskey coming." Just as that first sip made its way to his lips, a slew of police officers stormed into the bar.

The Captain stormed his way through the crowd which silenced and parted for him. He stood in the middle of the bar looking around the room. His eyes met each and every patrons'. "You," he said pointing to one of the men in the bar, "tell me your name."

"The name's Jack," the man slurred and stood up from his chair. "What's it to you?"

The Captain raised his baton and smacked Jack across the side of his temple. Jack instantly fell backwards and collapsed into a huddled position on the floor.

"Hey!" The bar owner stormed out from behind the bar and made her way to the Captain, "What is the meaning of this? You can't just march into my bar and start knocking out patrons!"

The Captain put his baton back in its holster and turned toward the bar owner. "Elizabeth, nice to see you again," he said.

"The pleasure is not mutual." She eyed the Captain. "Now will somebody please tell me what is going on?" Elizabeth turned toward the other officers who stood there awaiting orders.

Captain Cragen took his hat off and turned towards the men in the bar. "The man, passed out on this here floor, was a thief." He waited and let his words rest upon the men. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. Keep your hands off the officers' things." Without any more words, the Captain and his men stormed out of the bar and back into the night."

The patrons just went on as usual, ignoring the man that had been left unconscious on the floor.

Several hours later, John found himself passed out with his head resting on his left arm. The maid from earlier gently roused him. "Hey, time to get on your way," she said.

John sat up slowly and blinked back the fuzzy blur. "You know, you're a nice gal . . . what'd you say your name was again?"

She smiled at him; at least he wasn't an angry drunk. "Call me Monique, now shoo before Elizabeth literally kicks you out."

John glanced around the now quiet and empty room. Maids were beginning to sweep and mop. He almost made it to the door when he saw the man from earlier still passed out on the floor. He made his way over and stooped down. He flipped the man over and grimaced at the rancid smell of brandy, sewer, and filth.

"There goes one more paying man's dollars." Elizabeth had made her way over toward John as she wiped out the inside of a glass with a still dirty rag. "At least I got what was owed tonight."

John looked down at the man's trousers whose pockets were now inside out. Yes the bar owner did get her money for that night and perhaps a bit more. "I suppose this is what you get for trying to take down a corrupt government…."

"In this town we're all thieves. Most of us are just smart enough not to get caught." Elizabeth sat the glass down on a tray and picked up another.

"I know someone who can take care of this for you."

Elizabeth sat the glass down next to the other one on the same tray and eyed him closely. "What's in it for me?"

John shrugged, "Three dollars."

"Make it five and you got yourself a deal."

John stuck out his hand and she accepted it with a quick shake. It was business as usual, and off into the night he went.

*-*/*-*/*-*/*-*/

Horse hoofs plodded loudly down the cobblestone street. Police officers trod down the streets and stopped at store fronts and handed out flyers. "Have you seen this boy or this girl?" One of them asked a gentleman.

"No, sorry," he said and continued on his way.

Alexandra and Fin quickly hid behind some crates in a nearby alley. "How did they get here so fast?" Alexandra swiftly turned to face Fin and her eyes showed her worry.

"I don't know." He stuck his head around the corner. "One of the maids must have seen me. Stay here," he said as he quickly darted out from behind the crates. When the officers had passed, he walked up to a sign and read one of them. Then he ran back to Alexandra. "They know we've got the money. They think I kidnapped you and want to hang me." He fumbled around in his shabby waistcoat and lifted out a wad of cash. "I didn't know how much to take so I just took it all. Here," he said as he shoved it into her hands.

She looked down at the pile he had just handed over. "There has to be over two thousand dollars here! No wonder they're looking for us!" She lifted her petticoat and hid the money in the only place she could.

"Look, we need to change identities and get out of this country fast."

Alexandra looked around the alley and spotted a clothes line hanging out to dry in the tenant window above the tailors shop. Without hesitation, she hefted herself up on top of the crates and pulled down the clothing. It all fell and landed in the alley way. "These will have to do."

Fin grabbed a new pair of trousers and a top coat. "These are all boys clothing."

Alex slipped on a pair of trousers underneath her weighty dress and then turned away from him as she slipped the dress over her head and pulled a shirt and a vest on over it. Then she turned around to look at Fin. "Give me your hat."

He handed it over.

She tucked her blonde hair up and pulled the hat down low.

"I guess I'll just call you Alex now," he said as he looked her over, "but you need a bit more gruff". He bent down and gathered some dirt in his hands and then quickly smeared it across Alex's face.

"What the hell was that for!" Alex asked astonished.

After approving of his work and looking her up and down he gave a slight nod of his head. "You were still too pretty to be a boy."

"So a little dirt and I'm no longer pretty?" Alex said now teasingly.

"Heh," he said and turned to head out of the alley, "now that I didn't say."

"Wait," Alex called after him. "I need a new last name, there's no way they would let me board a ship with the last name McCoy."

Fin looked up and down the street. He spied a bakery and pointed it out to her. "Cabot's Bakery . . . you could be a Cabot."

"Alex Cabot it is then," she said.

The two of them continued on their way towards the docks. They kept their heads down and tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. Within the hour they were aboard a ship and bound for America.

*-*/*-*/*-*/*-*/

"Damn it Elliot!" Olivia yelled once she and her mother caught up to him miles down the road.

He was sitting on a rock while he waited for them to catch up.

"You and your temper . . . we might could have worked something out if you hadn't hit an officer." Their mother still swaggered in her footing. She decided it was time for her to rest and took a seat down next to Elliot on the rock.

"Nah, you saw the looks in their eyes. They would have tumbled the house regardless." He said and jumped off the rock. He kicked a clod of dirt and watched as the clay flew into the air and separated.

Olivia was just as exhausted after having to help her mother walk the two miles to their current location. She collapsed on the dirt with her back up against the rock. "He's right mother. They would have tumbled it."

"But I could have worked something out with officer Hollister . . ." Their mother tried to claim.

"Do you want to tell us what that's all about?" Olivia asked and looked over at her mother.

Elliot stood there with his arms crossed watching their mom. He had heard what she said too about a 'special agreement' of sorts. _Was that why they hadn't been evicted months or even years ago? _

Their mother dismissed their questions with a wave of her hand and stood up again. "It doesn't concern you."

"So what are we supposed to do or go now huh?" Elliot asked.

"I'd been waiting to share this information," Olivia began, "But I think I've managed to save up enough money to get us all on a boat to America."

Both Elliot and Serena looked at her like she was crazy.

"Now tell me where you stole that money from girl," Serena demanded. "Because if you took that from someone you weren't supposed to, we could all end up dead and not just homeless."

Olivia nodded her head, "thanks for the confidence mother. I put away a little bit of money after each time you got paid so you wouldn't squander it all away on booze."

Serena looked her daughter up and down. "How much you got?"

"Enough." Olivia said knowing the question she really wanted to ask was 'do you have enough for three trips to America and a bottle of whiskey'. "So maybe now we can go find father in America."

Serena threw her head back and laughed. "Yeah, good luck with that one."

Elliot scowled. "You said father was in America. Can't we just go to New York and find him?"

Serena looked between her children and sighed. Reluctantly she stood and they continued down the pathway to the Warf. They were three miles away and if they wanted to make the last ship bound for America, they had to get going.

*-*/*-*/*-*/*-*/

John made his way down some back alleys before he stepped into an open field. It was too dark to see anything. The moons way was blocked by clouds and the stars gave him very little light. He made his way by memory through the tall grasses. When he almost ran into the side of a barn, he stopped and realized he had made it.

A small light flickered in the hay loft and he climbed the steep latter. "I got another one for you tonight Malinda," he said to the girl who was lying on her stomach diligently reading a medical book.

She knew there wasn't much hope for her, a young black woman, to ever make it in the medical field, but there was an innate need for knowledge that she had ingrained in her being. Ever since she had found a copy of Grey's Anatomy as a girl she had been enthralled with the body and its function, but the closest she ever got to medical practice was when she watched the college professors examine the recently deceased body of a victim after she delivered one. It was a risky job- body snatching, but she loved the thrill and the medical students at the university had to learn somehow right?

"Good," she said and sat up from her position. She shoved her beloved book under a crate and blew the candle out as she followed John down the stairs and back into the night.

*-*/*-*/*-*/*-*/

Elizabeth had shooed away all the maids for the night. She alone was left to finish sweeping up for the night before she retired to her bed above.

John and Malinda knocked on the back door of the bar.

Quickly Elizabeth let them in and led Malinda to the body.

"We'll need to strip him of his clothes," Malinda said. "You have a fireplace?"

"I do. Why?" asked Elizabeth.

"Because," Malinda said as she bent down and began to undress the body, "if I get caught with a dead body, it's only a day in the stocks, but get caught with a dead persons things, and it'll be a month before I see the light of day."

John rolled out a large plastic sheet and the slid the body onto it carefully before wrapping it up tightly. They hefted the body up and they both began to head out the door.

"You know, I think I could use your services more often," Elizabeth said when they had made it to the door.

"I hope it's not because you spike the whiskey?" John asked sarcastically.

"Not that I can recall." Elizabeth said slightly distraught. "How could I find you again?"

John looked at Malinda who gave only a slight raise of a brow. "We could use a new place to stay. Lease us an upstairs room and you'll always be able to find us."

Elizabeth scowled and looked between the two. She treasured her time spent alone. She single handedly ran this bar and enjoyed the fact that she had done it on her own. She didn't necessarily need the extra money to keep the bar going, but when she saw an opportunity, she didn't pass it up. That was how she became so successful in the first place. "Fine," she said, "it's ten dollars a month, EACH. And, I want five dollars after each body is delivered."

"Make it ten dollars total and the five for each db and you'll have yourself a deal," Malinda spoke.

Elizabeth once again eyed the two who stood there holding a naked dead body wrapped in a plastic sheet. _Yes, this could very well work out nicely. _"Deal," she said and let the door slam behind them as they walked the back alleys toward the office of the medical examiner.

**A/N: yay! Reviews loved! If anyone would like to see another character let me know- good guy or bad guy/gal. This could get interesting ^-^ **


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